**: Observer.com.
Former Ukrainian Army Commander Syrsky, also known as the "butcher", is known for his tough style, and officially succeeded Zaluzhny as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on February 8, local time. According to the European edition of the American political news network "Politico EU" 9**, the news of Syrsky's ascension to power and the change of leadership has made many Ukrainian soldiers feel hopeless. One of the soldiers lamented, "We're all going to be finished."
Syrsky, 58, has been the commander of the Ukrainian Army since 2019 and was promoted to general in 2020. After the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Syrsky was in charge of the defense of Kyiv and commanded operations against Russia in key places such as Kharkiv and **Muth.
According to a person familiar with Syrsky's fighting style, Syrsky is a tough commander who puts his soldiers at risk in order to achieve his military goals. The person mentioned that in the 9-month battle of the "meat grinder" of Mut last year, the Ukrainian army suffered a heavy battle, and Syrsky, who was in charge of commanding the defense, has since had a terrible nickname - "butcher".
Syrsky will kill all of us," a Ukrainian soldier sighed after hearing that Syrsky had been appointed commander-in-chief. Another soldier posted a message in a group chat of soldiers involved in the Battle of **Mutt: "We're all going to be finished. ”
A Ukrainian army officer posted on social media ** that Syrsky's leadership credibility "is bankrupt in the Ukrainian army, and his presence or orders issued in his name will only lead to demoralization" given to past combat experience. The officer bluntly stated that Selsky "undermined the soldiers' trust in the command as a whole" because he focused only on tactical gains and ignored the loss of human resources and tactical advances.
The new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Syrsky, photo from ic photo
On the 9th, Syrsky responded to questions about his leadership. "The life and health of servicemen has always been the main value of the Ukrainian army," he said in a statement. Therefore, it is more important than ever to maintain the implementation of combat missions, restore the balance between troops, and strengthen the training and training of personnel. ”
On February 8, local time, Ukraine's **Zelensky signed an order to remove the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny from his post and appoint Syrsky as the new commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
On the 9th, Zelensky dismissed Shaptara, the chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian army, and appointed Bargilevich, commander of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, as chief of the General Staff. At the same time, he announced that Vadym Sukhaveskyi and Andrei Lebedenko will serve as deputy commanders-in-chief, responsible for UAVs and technological innovation, respectively; Volodymyr Horbatiuk, Oleksiy Shevchenko and Mykhailo Drapatyi served as deputy chiefs of the General Staff, responsible for operational planning and management, logistics, and training.
On the 10th, Sersky posted a photo of Zelensky and the new leadership of the Ukrainian army on social **telegram, and posted that he congratulated Zelensky on his latest appointment, "They are all experienced officers with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and they will surely accelerate our victory."
Syrsky posted a photo of Zelensky with the new leadership of the Ukrainian army on social **.
Syrsky and Zaluzhny seem to get along well. According to Politico EU, a ** in Zelensky's office revealed that "when ** asked Zaluzhny who should stay and get promoted, he said that Syrsky was one of the most experienced generals". According to the **, Zaluzhny considered Syrsky "a good, decent soldier with a lot of experience and a very good strategic vision for the war."
Recently, the news that Zaluzhny "will be dismissed" has caused an uproar in Ukraine. According to a previous report by the Financial Times, a poll in December last year showed that 88% of Ukrainians said they trusted Zaluzhny, while only 62% said they trusted Zelensky. Some scholars say Zaluzhny's dismissal "will have a very, very negative impact on the morale of the army."
In addition, replacing Zaluzhny could be unsettling for Ukraine's Western allies, including the military, which has worked closely with Zaluzhny over the past two years to develop a battlefield strategy**. At present, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is still in a critical period, and Ukraine is actively receiving a large amount of military and financial assistance from the United States and the West.
Politico EU said that after succeeding Zaluzhny as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Syrsky is under great pressure. First, Zelensky needs a commander-in-chief who is in sync with him; Secondly, Syrsky needs to ensure that the change of commander does not damage the already precarious morale of the Ukrainian army; Again, at a time when the Ukrainian army's plans are at a long stalemate, Syrsky must also improve the way the army operates.
Syrsky became Zaluzhny's successor, but he also inherited many challenges," concluded Dara Massicot, an expert on war at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a US think tank.